Violent TV shows face restrictions

Senate committee passed daylight ban

WASHINGTON {AP} Television shows with graphic bloodshed or gratuitous violence could be banned from daylight viewing under a measure that passed the Senate Commerce Committee Wednesday.

The bill, which limits such programming when children are likely to be watching, comes a week after federal regulators accused the entertainment industry of marketing violent, adult-rated products to young people.

Despite the industry's protests, violence is made accessible to children because it makes money, said Sen. Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., one of the sponsors of the bill. He has been pushing for a "safe harbor" of children's TV viewing time for years.

"The industry, as in the past, continues today to know, understand and prosper under the auspices of 'violence pays.' They know it and we know it," Hollings said.

Under the bill approved Wednesday, "violent" television shows could only be shown when children do not make up a significant portion of the audience or when the shows bear ratings that would allow parents to electronically block them.

Safe harbor hours normally run between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., although the bill gives the Federal Communications Commission power to set the exact hours.

The restrictions would only kick in, however, if an FCC study finds the v-chip system which enables parents to block out programs rated for violence, sex and crude language is not effective in protecting children from explicit TV content.

The v-chip technology, required by law in all new TV sets 13 inches and larger, works with encoded ratings displayed on shows to flag violent or sexual material. Broadcast and cable networks voluntarily choose to rate their programs.

A Federal Trade Commission report last week decried the "pervasive and aggressive marketing" of adult material to children.